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How Hamas Diverts International Aid to Gaza

(Times of Israel) Ran Porat - Since the military coup by Hamas in Gaza in 2007, the Gazan population has been suffering under a regime that mismanages their affairs, wasting billions on weapons and terrorist training and installations instead of spending it on civilian infrastructure and vital services. Corruption, embezzlement and abuse of public funds is commonplace. An industry has emerged in Gaza that exploits the misery of locals to raise funds that end up in the pockets of slippery operators or terrorists. For example, Fathi Hamad, a member of Hamas' core leadership, is the patron of the Al-Falakh charity, managed by the Tanboora family. The Tanboora family enjoys a lavish lifestyle, including holidays in luxurious hotels abroad and helicopter rides. Supporters of Fatah charge that charity funds are being stolen by the directors of Al-Falakh and diverted to personal investments abroad using dummy companies, which then later distribute the revenues to top Hamas officials. A detailed expose published in May in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reveals how Hamas created a "charity mafia." Hamas' internal security forces record the amounts of money reaching Gaza from external sources and demand a share, an arrangement enforced on all aid associations, foundations and charities. The writer is a research associate at the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation at Monash University.
2020-07-16 00:00:00
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